Interleukin-10 is a cytokine which was originally characterized by its activities in suppressing production of Th1 cytokines. See, e.g., de Vries and de Waal Malefyt (eds. 1995) Interleukin-10 Landes Co., Austin, Tex.; and Fowler and Powrie (1999) Springer Semin. Immunopathol. 21(3):287–294. Th1 cells are implicated in the induction of pathology in transplantation and autoimmune contexts.
Suppression of immunological function finds utility in many different contexts. See, e.g., Paul (ed. 1998) Fundamental Immunology 4th ed., Raven Press, NY. In particular, allogeneic immunity is important in a transplantation context, due largely to its extraordinary strength. As organ and tissue transplants become more common in medical contexts, the ability to minimize problems from tissue rejection exhibit larger economic advantages. In addition, means to minimize adverse autoimmune conditions, to block certain responses to particulate antigens, e.g., bacterial and parasitic, and to minimize the reaction to certain soluble antigens, both protein and allergens, will be significant advances for therapeutic purposes.
The lack of fully effective therapeutics to minimize or eliminate tissue rejection, graft vs. host disease, autoimmunity, or these other immunological responses leads to many problems. The present invention addresses and provides solutions to many of these problems.